MORE than £1 million is coming to the borough tackle an impending winter crisis in local hospitals.

And a third of the extra government cash is earmarked for "bed blocking", giving 40 elderly people a proper home rather than being stuck needlessly in hospital.

Bury and Rochdale Health Authority has been awarded £1.1 million, one of the best from the North West pot of £22.4 million: Manchester has been given £4 million, and Liverpool £2 million.

The money will be allocated for five purposes:

£320,000 of the money is earmarked for community care for those affected by the bed-blocking crisis.

£149,000 to reduce waiting times at hospitals

£304,000 to develop various schemes between health and social services

£236,000 towards funding general hospital services

£95,000 for specific projects including an emergency information phone line, to be piloted early next year.

Mr Alan Maden, health authority chairman, said: "We will be able to finance a variety of schemes this winter that will have immediate benefits for local patients, as well as improving care in the longer term.

"The authority is still working with local trusts and social services departments about the finer details, and there is still a degree of flexibility about where the money will go, but we are determined to make the best possible use of the windfall this winter."

Mr Phillip Bacon, chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust, said he would be trying to get Bury a sizeable share of the money. "Bury has performed magnificently year after year and we anticipate serving the community to the same standard this winter," he said.

"It has to be recognised that doctors and nurses need support to keep that going, and I am sure that the health authority will recognise that."

And David Chaytor, Bury North MP, said he was "absolutely delighted" with the award, particularly the amount earmarked for bed-blocking. With the announcement of an above average settlement for next year's budget, this is a double dose of good news for the health service in Bury," he said.

"I am particularly pleased that this has come so soon after our recent bed-blocking summit meeting and credit must go to health professionals in Bury for making such a strong case for urgent action. We know the NHS is still desperately underfunded but at last we have grounds for optimism."

The MP warned that the bed-blocking money was only for two years: a lot of work was needed to make sure social services were able to pick up the tab again after that.

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